Current state of China tourism research

Along with the tremendous growth of tourism development in China after its successful hosting of two international mega-events (i.e. the 2010 Shanghai World Expo and the 2010 Guangzhou Asian Games), a modest body of academic research on tourism in China has been developed since the start of the second decade of the new millennium. To supplement the continuous development of China's tourism industry, this study presents a review of 147 research articles from tourism journals during the period 2010-2012. Through content analysis, the empirical findings indicate that tourist behaviour and experience was the most researched theme, followed by culture and heritage studies. The trend of research collaboration, particularly international collaboration, was evident among the analysed studies. This study also presents the diversity in recent research in the realm of tourism in China in terms of research context, geographical coverage, data collection and analysis method, and institutional contribution.

Social welfare analysis in a simple financial economy with risk regulation

In the last years, regulating agencies of rnany countries in the world, following recommendations of the Basel Committee, have compelled financiaI institutions to maintain minimum capital requirements to cover market risk. This paper investigates the consequences of such kind of regulation to social welfare and soundness of financiaI institutions through an equilibrium model. We show that the optimum level of regulation for each financiaI institution (the level that maximizes its utility) depends on its appetite for risk and some of them can perform better in a regulated economy. In addition, another important result asserts that under certain market conditions the financiaI fragility of an institution can be greater in a regulated econolny than in an unregulated one

The state of the youth: prisons, drugs and car crashes

By virtue of the volume and nature of their attributions, including secondary school as well as problem-areas such as security and traffic, the Brazilian states are the ultimate responsible entities for young people. This study argues in favour of granting greater freedom for the states to define their own public policy parameters to deal with local features and to increase the degree of learning about such actions at the national level. In empirical terms, the study assesses the impacts of new laws, such as the new traffic code (from the joint work with Leandro Kume, EPGE/FGV doctor’s degree student) and traces the statistics for specific questions like drugs, violence and car accidents. The findings show that these questions produce different results for young men and women.The main characters in these dramas are young single males, suggesting the need for more distinguished public policies according not only to age, but also by gender. The study also reveals that the magnitude of these problems changes according to the youth’s social class. Prisons concern poorer men (except for the functional illiterate) while fatal car accidents and the confessed use of drugs concern upper-class boys.

Injuries and envenoming by aquatic animals in fishermen of Coxim and Corumbá municipalities, state of Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil: identification of the causative agents, clinical aspects and first aid measures

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Spatial distribution of trachoma cases in the City of Bauru, State of São Paulo, Brazil, detected in 2006: defining key areas for improvement of health resources

Introduction: The objective of this study was to analyze the spatial behavior of the occurrence of trachoma cases detected in the City of Bauru, State of São Paulo, Brazil, in 2006 in order to use the information collected to set priority areas for optimization of health resources. Methods: the trachoma cases identified in 2006 were georeferenced. The data evaluated were: schools where the trachoma cases studied, data from the 2000 Census, census tract, type of housing, water supply conditions, distribution of income and levels of education of household heads. In the Google Earth® software and TerraView® were made descriptive spatial analysis and estimates of the Kernel. Each area was studied by interpolation of the density surfaces exposing events to facilitate to recognize the clusters. Results: of the 66 cases detected, only one (1.5%) was not a resident of the city's outskirts. A positive association was detected of trachoma cases and the percentage of heads of household with income below three minimum wages and schooling under eight years of education. Conclusions: The recognition of the spatial distribution of trachoma cases coincided with the areas of greatest social inequality in Bauru City. The micro-areas identified are those that should be prioritized in the rationalization of health resources. There is the possibility of using the trachoma cases detected as an indicator of performance of micro priority health programs.

Influence of Prey Size on the Capture of Social Wasps (Hymenoptera: Vespidae) by the Orb-Web Spider Nephilengys cruentata

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

New meaning for the emotional state of the elderly, from a leisure standpoint

Continuing developments in science and technology that affect many dimensions of human life, especially those related to longevity, require responses from social policies and programmes to enable quality-of-life improvements in every sector, including leisure. To contribute to research in this area, this qualitative study sought to identify the perceptions of and meanings attached to participation in (active outdoor) leisure by a group of elderly citizens of Araras, São Paulo State, Brazil. Data were collected via questionnaires administered to a mixed-gender sample of 100 persons, aged between 60 and 80 years, after they had participated in an outdoor adventure/leisure programme. The data were subjected to thematic content analysis. The study revealed that the participants identified positive emotional effects as a result of their participation, relating to their sense of belonging to a group, to their increased quality of life and to their ability to remain physically active.

Titi monkeys (Callicebus spp., Atelidae : Platyrrhini) in the Brazilian state of Rondonia

Five species of titi monkey (Callicebus brunneus, Callicebus caligatus, Callicebus cinerascens, Callicebus donacophilus, and Callicebus moloch) were recorded in surveys of primate populations at 26 sites throughout the Brazilian state of Rondonia. The distribution of the two species, C. cinerascens and C. donacophilus (recorded in the state for the first time), appeared to be related to that of non-forest ecosystems, the former in the cerrado woodlands, and the latter in gallery forests of the Guapore grasslands. The results of the surveys also indicate that C. brunneus has a more restricted distribution in southern Rondonia than was previously thought, whereas C. moloch is more widespread. However, the ecological factors that determine species distribution in the south of the state remain unclear on the basis of the available data. All species were observed in small social groups of no more than five individuals, which are typical of the genus, generally in the middle and lower forest strata.

Consumption of bottled water by children in the city of Bauru, State of São Paulo, Brazil - A brief communication

Objectives: To determine the consumption of bottled water by children in the city of Bauru, State of São Paulo, Brazil. Methods: A stratified sample of the 17 areas established by the city plan was used to identify a total of 1,000 homes for visitation. Information was collected using a questionnaire concerning the type of water consumed and population demographics. Results: Overall, around 30 percent of all residences used bottled water. Among all households where bottled water was consumed, about 26 percent had children residing. For those with children and bottled water, 81 percent reported to use bottled water for the preparation of the children's foods and beverages. Conclusions: An important percentage of children consume bottled water in the city of Bauru, State of São Paulo, Brazil. Considering previous studies showing that fluoride concentrations vary in bottled water, public health measures should be implemented in order to guarantee adequate levels of fluoride in commercialized water. © 2007, American Association of Public Health Dentistry.

The gender perspective in economic and labour policies: state of the art in Latin America and the Caribbean

Includes bibliography

Diversity of social wasps on semideciduous seasonal forest fragments with different surrounding matrix in Brazil

We surveyed social wasps (Polistinae) present in forest fragments of northwest of So Paulo state with different surroundings composed of a matrix of citrus crops and sugarcane in the expectation that the former matrix would be more diverse than the latter. We collected specimens actively using attractive liquids. We obtained 20 species in Magda, 13 in Bebedouro, 13 in Mato, and 19 in Barretos. The most common genus was Agelaia in all of the areas. The greatest Shannon-Wiener index of diversity was obtained in Magda (H' = 2.12). Species such as Brachygastra moebiana, Metapolybia docilis, Mischocyttarus ignotus, M. paulistanus and M. consimilis had not been recorded on recent surveys in the state. Furthermore M. consimilis is a new record for the state. We concluded that, with our data, a relation between the occurrence of social wasps and the surrounding matrix was not detected. © 2011 Getulio Minoru Tanaka Junior and Fernando Barbosa Noll.

Three forms of social coordination

Includes bibliography

Participação, controle e Serviço Social na política municipal de assistência social de Uberaba/MG: tensão entre a radicalização democrática e as estratégias de reprodução do capital

Pós-graduação em Serviço Social - FCHS

A prática interdisciplinar na política de assistência social: o caso das CRAS de Abaetetuba-PA

Esta Dissertação de Mestrado em Serviço Social tem como objetivo fazer uma reflexão sobre a prática interdisciplinar entre assistentes e psicólogos que atuam nos Centros de Referência de Assistência Social do município de Abaetetuba. O Município está localizado á aproximadamente 80 km da capital do Estado do Pará e tem aproximadamente 139.000 habitantes, conforme o último censo IBGE. Desde 2005 vem implementando as diretrizes da Política Nacional de Assistência Social de 2004. A Nova Política Nacional de Assistência Social, por meio de suas diretrizes e principais objetivos visa a consolidação dos processos de descentralização da gestão. Institui um novo modelo organização dos serviços socioassistenciais, unificando conceitos e procedimentos em todo território nacional através do Sistema Único de Assistência Social que, por sua vez, estabelece padrões para a execução dos serviços, para a qualidade no atendimento, e define indicadores de avaliação e resultado. A interdisciplinaridade ainda é considerada um conceito em construção, entretanto nesta realidade configura-se como uma relação de reciprocidade de mutualidade que pressupõe uma atitude diferente a ser assumida frente aos problemas de conhecimento, isto é substituir a concepção fragmentária pela unitária do ser humano. Esta atitude, não poderá ser preconceituosa, mas aberta onde todo conhecimento torna-se importante, pode ser fundamentada na intersubjetividade e interação entre os saberes, mas não pode estar desligada do contexto onde ela ocorre. A atuação prática interdisciplinar no Centro de Referência de Assistência Social, bem como em outros programas projetos e serviços desta política é incentivada, mas na realidade do município aqui pesquisado observou-se que existem muitos obstáculos e desafios para o exercício desta prática. Desde o não cumprimento das normatizações que regulamentam a Política de Assistência Social até a superação das condições precárias nas relações de trabalho, tanto no que diz respeito ao vínculo, quanto às condições físicas e materiais dos espaços, passando pela necessidade de implementação de gestão voltada a qualificação e valorização dos recursos humanos inseridos no SUAS.